Name and shame hotels which allows prostitution

In any developing city, the rise of prostitution activity walk in tandem with the city’s economic growth. It does not exclude KL, the metropolitan which houses about 8 million dwellers. Now with half of them are immigrants from Indonesia, China, India, Africa, Vietnam, etc, it is difficult to differentiate the true Malaysian from them when based on the first glance, Indonesian looks like the Malays, Chinese from China looks like Malaysian Chinese, Indians from India looks like Malaysian Indians.

Malaysian government has to be realistic when promoting this country to boost its tourism industry. While the income generated from the industry can be lucrative, the side effects could be detrimental. Media report, police statistics showed that prostitution-related case is getting larger by day. While some of them are undeniably Malaysians, the involvement of immigrants is prominent – especially those from countries I mentioned above.

Thanks to the police who is doing their job preventing the prostitution activities, other department including NGOs, hoteliers, politicians and religious body should be criticized for doing too little to halt the activities. Hoteliers, especially, should be responsible in curbing prostitution activities being it done by influential figures or ‘normal’ people.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and Malaysian Budget Hotel Association (MBHA) should do something to limit the immoral problem because it concerns reputation and branding. The budget hotels and ‘rumah tumpangan’ especially, are long known for allowing prostitutes entertaining their clients in their room hotels because the room rental is cheaper and for some, its location in the dark alleys is thought safer.

MAH and MBHA should start being proactive in curbing the prostitution activities by registering all budget hotels and ‘rumah tumpangan’ in their association. This should include all hotels that operate spa, massage centres, karaoke and other entertainment activities that look dubious. It makes sense as many Klang Valley spa & entertaining centre owners are now prosecuted for running prostitution activities at the same time.

MAH, MBHA, police, banks, financial institutions, local council should integrate to curb prostitution. MAH and MBHA need to put signs such as “No prostitution activities allowed” or “We do not cooperate with prostitutes” in the hotels’ term and conditions. MAH, MBHA, police, banks and financial institutions and local council can proactively name and shame the hotel operators, which include black listing the owners from operating another hotel-related business, black listing the owners from taking loans, and making public announcement through media. Religious bodies should work together as disseminating good works are not only limited in the mosque, temples or kuils parameters. The prostitution activities are condemned by all religion regardless of one’s faith.

Tourism Ministry has to consider this seriously as it involved the area where your children and mine live and walk. The minister may want to work together with the Immigration Department and police to raid the prostitution area to see by herself the heights of immigrants involvement in this case.

Lastly I guess, the canning should not only be directed to Muslims but also to all human races, regardless of religion. Leave the politics aside, there is no reason for the prostitutes to deal with the activities tho the ‘demand’ is high as Malaysia is a country blessed with resources and plenty of moral jobs. Unless the prostitution activities is ‘covered’ by influential figures, Malaysia should already be a country safe for family activities, anywhere.